Monthly Archives: May 2014

Energy Group update

The Energy Group moved forward with its plan for a local Energy Services Company (ESCo) last month. A couple of group members visited Pure Leapfrog’s offices for discussions about forming a company and initiating our first project. (Pure Leapfrog is a business led charity that is the leading social investment provider within the community energy sector.) The meeting was very productive, and we left with lots of advice, and a number of useful contacts to help us get formally established.

We will be holding a further public meeting about the ESCo soon, and will publish the details here when we have them. In the meantime, we would be glad to hear from anyone who would like to become actively involved in the project. Please drop us a mail at info@transitionredhill.org

Food Group meeting

After an active month the food group has seen an increase in numbers and also lot of general interest. If you would like to meet up with the group they will be meeting in the Hatch pub on Thursday 8 May to discuss what next and to meet some of the new participants

Transition Free Press distribution

As mentioned in last month’s newsletter, we are now distributors of the Transition Free Press newspaper.

The new edition is now here, with stories about floods and fracking, waste and walking, as well as features on neighbourhood reskilling, alternative finance, community energy projects…

We will have plenty of copies available at our next Transition Drinks (see below), and we are building a network of distribution points in the local area. Merstham Station is the first of these, and copies should be available to pick up there very soon.

The cover price is £1.

Surrey Green Homes – booking now open!

Throughout Surrey on 17 & 18 May, inspirational eco home owners are opening their doors to members of the public, to show how they have made their homes cheaper to heat and more comfortable to live in.

This is a fantastic, free opportunity to see energy saving technologies in action.

Plus every visitor who visits an eco home can enter a prize draw to win a Free Green Deal Assessment worth £100.

There is an opportunity to volunteer if you wish to assist as a host on the day. Free training in energy efficiency is provided. For more information please email Sara Winnington at info@actionsurrey.org or call 0800 783 2503.

The Pig Pledge

The Pig Pledge campaign has been created to put power back into the hands of citizens. It is a call to collective action whose purpose is to raise awareness about the impact of animal factories and to make people aware that they can vote for real farming over factory farming every time they buy a pork product. You can sign the pledge here.

The campaign officially launches in October this year, however they are currently looking to recruit volunteers who can spare a little time before then to reach out to local farms, farmers markets and butchers that rear or sell sustainable, ethically reared pork products, engage with the public and, as October draws closer, help out with or arrange a screening of the Pig Business documentary (originally shown on Channel 4) to promote the campaign. If you would like to help, please email matt@farmsnotfactories.org

Gatwick Airport expansion – have your say

You may be aware that the owners of Gatwick Airport are currently running a consultation to gauge the attitude of local residents to the proposal to build a second runway at the airport.

The Woodland Trust have created a campaign page that makes it easy for you to respond to the consultation if you agree that the destruction of up to three areas of ancient woodland are grounds to oppose the building of another runway.

Of course, from a Transition point of view, the building of a new runway (at Gatwick or anywhere else) makes no sense due to the incompatibility of continued aviation growth and our urgent need to combat climate change. The Woodland Trust’s campaign page allows space to enter a response of your own should you wish to make that or any other points.

An invitation

“Transition Dorking cordially invites Transition Redhill folk to join us for our monthly drinks which just so happens to fall on Bank Holiday Monday May 5th. Come to Red Bar and Lounge in Dene Street (lovely ambience, nice food and great company!!!) Let’s put the world to rights and share a pint.”

Sounds fun. Don’t forget that we have monthly drinks too of course…

Transition Drinks

Our monthly Transition Drinks. All welcome.

We will be in the main bar at the Garland. Come along for a chat and see what we have been doing and what we have planned. We are always keen to hear new ideas, and if you have a project you think we could help with, please come and tell us about it.

We’ll be there from 8, probably until about 9.30 or so, so drop in any time in between.